Qatar Races Mounting Virus Toll With Vaccine Drive

Qatar Races Mounting Virus Toll With Vaccine Drive

Qatar has set up drive-through centers to speed up its vaccination drive - AFP

Qatar is stepping up its coronavirus vaccination drive, officials said Wednesday, with new daily cases almost quadrupling since January and prompting calls for a renewed lockdown.

While the country's death toll per capita is low, almost 5 percent of deaths since the beginning of the pandemic were during the past week, with authorities blaming the more potent British strain.

Medical experts have called for a return to the strict summer lockdown that saw new daily cases plummet from 2,355 at the end of May to 235 by July 31.

But Rashid Andaila, a manager at a vaccination point south of Doha, said the vaccine drive was gathering steam, with a second drive-through clinic opened on Sunday for second doses.

"Our capability is 5,000 at each site," he said.

Over 25,000 vaccine jabs were administered on Tuesday, bringing the total to 816,484 doses, according to official data.

Qatar reported 780 new infections on Wednesday as well as two deaths, bringing the total Covid-19 death toll in the country to 291, while active cases reached 571 per 100,000.

Nearly one in five of Wednesday's new cases were among residents and citizens returning from abroad, official statistics